Burial vault transporting and lowering apparatus



July 6, 1948.

' c. E. ALMENDINGER ET AL 2,444,690

BURIAL VAULT TRANSPORTING AND LOWER'ING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 25, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INI/NroRsL Char/es E A/mend/f/ l:

July 6, 1948.

C. E. ALMENDINGER ETAL BURIAL VAULT TRANSPORTING AND LOWERING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 23, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 s Wm Mlwh .T n e N Z5 WML A10 ww ,WE C

July 6, 1948. c. E. ALMENDINGER Erm. 2,4449590 BURIAL VAIULT TRANSPORTING AND LOWERING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 194e 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 55 35 37 45 4| .55 o 43 l 34 54 4 a 5 :L o 48 s 22 2| INVENTOMv Char/es E Almend/rlger.

Patented July 6, 1948 UNITED sTArEs, vnfrlni'rl ,er1?-Iren` BURIAL VALTTRANSPORTING' AND LOWERING APPARATUS Charles E'. Almendinger. and Edward L, Behrens; Prospect, Ohio ApplicationNovemher'23, 19461,r Seralddo.l 'l1-15914'- (Cl. 2lt4--75,)

'7 Claims. 1 e t Our inventionv relates to burial vault transport-- ing. and lowering apparatus'. Ithas todo, more, particularly, with a vehicley designed asv a trailer for supporting; a Vault. for transportation, to` the grave andi for lowering the vault down into position in the grave.

Many different types of'burialvaultehandling deviceshave been constructed in thepast. One great disadvantage of such prior.` art devices has been that the same; devicezhasnot been entirely suitable :for transporting` the; vault. fromy the manufacturer to the grave andv also for lowering it into the grave. With prior' art. devices, the vault is usuallyV supported by being; suspended from' a frame by cables but isinot; preventedfrom swinging longitudinally and laterally relative to the frame. The result is that during; pullingI ofthe vault-carrying device fromthemanuiacturer to the grave, especially if traveling at relatively highfy speed,v the-pendulous swinging of the vault results indamage to: the vault or the frame or both. Some prior art deviceshaye been. ofsuch structure that they couldnot be moved-,from a position beyond theA endv of the,V grave over the headstone or footstone to a-position directly overv the grave withoutinterference Vof part-of the framewith the stone. In. others the.l cable-ar, rangement and the mechanism for reeling. the cables or paying them out'hasl been complicated andldi-icult to operate-to raise or lower-the heavyv vault and to lock-in thedesired condition.

One of the objects ot our invention; istopro-` vide. a. single devicel of thetrailer type which can be used eiectively forv transporting aheavy vault from the manufacturer to the graveandior-lowering the vault properly into` thegra-veor which can be-used to raise the vault'v from: thegrave for disinterment.

Anotheriobject of our invention is tol provideav vault-handling vehicle of. the type.l indicated which-i is so constructed that thel vault willbeso supported and held during transportation that there will be no danger of. damage;tothe1vetu'cle itself or to the vault. f

Still another object of; our invention. is to pro-- vide a vault-handling. vehicley of they type indicated which is provided with a simple cable arrangement andoperating; mechanism whichfean bei operated witl'rease; to;- lit. ther heavy vaultinto? positieniorv transportationl or to lowerv the vault; into; the grave;` such.` mechanism including'lock.- ingimeans whi'cliefectively look-s the cable: drums against rotation when. the: paying out or reeling iniof the cablesistinterrupted; t

. Another obiectl eourinlvention, is, to provide;

a. vault-handling vehicles which is 4so l constructed that it' can be movedgfrom appositionv beyond one;

end of the grave to a position directly,- over-the,y grave; withoutl interferingA with a headstoneo1' I footstone marker ofthe,v usual type.

, anisms-on` the vehicleare located at the draught;

or tongue-bearing;I endofA the vehiclel so thatone person' can' maneuvery the vehicle: over the; graye and readily operate such controls when-neces,-l sary.

Other objects willzbe apparent, p y

Accordingy to; our invention; weprovide a,A vault,-y handling; device ofthe trailer type which can be, pulled by a truck or othervehicle from the vault manufacturer or dealer to ay positionL adjacent the grave. TheA vehicle. includes a. framewhich. carries apair of transporting wheels intermedi?, ate its ferwardand rearward end sfand a steering- Wheel-.of thezcaster typeat itsforwardend., .The forward; end `of the frame may have a. tongue at.. tached. thereto for manipulating the trailerr by hand or may bel provided withv a trailer hitch, for connecting` it to a truck or tractor. The easter wheelv isl used only whenA the vehicle is adjacenty the grave and isI somounted that it mayfbe swung:

up into inoperative position when the trailer is,

tol behitched tov a. truck or tractor. We prefen. ably;l provide hydraulic brakes associated with; therearA wheels and these brakes can be controlled, from the-f front endof, the: frame. The brakes. will serve. tohold the trailer in. position over thev gravey duringI the; vault lowering operation.vl The frame has associated with it hoisting mecha anism consisting of a cable and drum arrange ment, which can be operated by means includingi worm andgear mechanism for raising a heavy vaultL into transporting position or for loweringit ntothev grave. A control for. `:this hoistingy mechanism is also locatedg-atthe forward.endvtofE the frame We provide means; associated with;

the frame for securely grip-ping the cable-sus` pended vault, when in transporting lposition, for preventing pendulous swinging or the vault on the iframe either laterally or longitudinally;` dur-- ing transportation. rlhis grippingv means cang i, also, bey controlled froml the forward end: Qi; the;

3 frame. The frame is so constructed that it will be free of cross members at its rear end which are lower than the suspended vault so that the trailer can be backed over the grave without interfering with a headstone or footstone.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of'reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our vaulthandling vehicle showing it positioned over a grave preparatory to lowering the vault therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of our-vaulthandling vehicle.

Figure 3 is a, plan View of the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a front end view of the vehicle.

Figure 5 is la transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2 and showing by dotted lines the lowering of the vault into the grave.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken' 'alongl line 6 4-6 of Figure 2 s howing part of thevhoisting mechanism.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic brake system of the vehicle. f

With reference tothe drawings, vwe have illustrated a vault-handling vehicle of the trailer type which includes a frame I.l This frame is preferably fabricated mainly from steel tubular members welded together. At each side, the frame consists of an upper longitudinally extending -tube 2, a lower longitudinally extending tube 3, a forward vertically disposed tube 4 connected to members 2 and 3 and a rearward vertically disposed tube Salso connected to members 2 and 3. y The two lower members of the frame 3 are bent towards each other at their forward ends and substantially converge where they are connected together by a, short transverse section 3a. Spaced slightly behind the section 3a is a transversely disposed pivot pin 6 which is secured between the converging forward ends of the lower members 3; In the same plane as'the forward vertical tubes 4, we provide-a lower crossmember 1, disposed between and connected to the two lower members 3, and anupper crossmeinber 8, disposed between 'and connected to the upper longitudinal members 2. Directly forward ofl cross-'member 8, the ends of both members 2A are bent downwardly andtowards each other'inio association with the short transverse section 3a to which they are connected. Spaced slightly above the lower transverse member 'I is av parallel transverse member `El which is disposed between and is secured to the forward vertical tubes 4. Spaced slightly behind the upper transverse member 8 is a pair of spaced transverse members I0 which are disposed'between andare secured to the longitudinaltubes 2. A rear cross-member Il is connected to the rear ends of members 2 and is disposed therebetween. Spaced slightly forwardly of this member Il is a. pair of spaced cross-members I2 disposed between and secured to tubes 2. The lower rear corner `of the frame is free of permanently attached cross-*members but isla-dapted to receive a transverse hat clamping bar I3 whichis provided with a pair of notches I4 that slip over` the members 3. On each side of the frame intermediate its ends, we provide a vertically disposed inwardly directed channel member I5. -This channel member has its upper and lower ends weldedfto members 2 and 3. Disposed between the upper longitudinal members 2 and between the upper ends'of channels I5 is'a downwardly facing channel I6 which has its ends welded to members 2. At each side, the frame is iurther provided with a rearwardly and downwardly extending diagonal brace IT and with a forwardly and downwardly extending diagonal brace I8. The upper end of brace Il is welded to members 2 and 4 at their junction point and the upper endof the brace I8 is similarly weldedto members 2 and 5. VThe lowerends of the braces I1 and I8 converge at a point in the same plane as channel I5 and are welded to the lower longitudinal member 3. Thus, a rigid frame is provided.

duits 2l to a booster pump- 22 which is supportedv adjacent the forward end of the frame by a bracket 23 (Figure 1) which is attached to crossmembers 1 and 9 and the inwardly converging part 'of one of themembers 3. Pivotally mounted on this bracket 23 is a brake-operating lever 24 which has a ratchet 25 associated therewith for holding it in adjusted position.

The forward end of the frame is supported by a caster wheel 25. Thiswheel 26 is of the usual construction embodying a yoke 27 lwhich is pivoted to a flat plate 28 for pivotal movement about an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation o the wheel. The plate 28 is pivoted for movement about the axis of pivot pin 6 in a vertical plane. The wheel can be locked in its lower or operative position by means of an upstanding lug 29, carried on the forward end of plate 28 which will project upwardly through an opening in a forwardly projecting stub member 30 which is welded to the transverse section 3a, of the frame. A lock pin 3| may be passed transversely through lug 29. to lockthe wheel 26 in operative position. With the wheel in this position,- the frame is supported on three wheels and can be easily guided and maneuvered. The wheels I9 will be locatedl slightly behind the center of gravity of the vehicle with the vault mounted thereon so that part of the weightof the vehicle will be supported onA the wheel 26. To facilitate maneuvering of the vehicle by hand, a tongue 32 may be attached to the forward end of stub 3i! by a removable pin 33 for movement in a vertical plane. Spacers 6a. on member 6 keep the wheel 26 in centered positionlaterally of the frame. When the vehicle or trailer is to be attached to a truck or tractor, the pin 3| may be removed and the wheel 26 swung up to'the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2.- Also, the tongue 32 may be removed by removing pin 33. The hitching pin on the truck or tractor may be passed through the opening in the stub 30 to hitch the trailer to the truck or tractor, or a hitch of the ball type or other suitable type may be associated with stub 30.

We provide hoisting mechanism on the frame I for raising and lowering the vault. This mechanism includes a pair of forward idler pulleys 34.

(Figure 3) carried on opposite sides of the frame between the cross-members I0 and a pair of rearward idler pulleys 34a, carried on opposite sides of the frame between the cross-members I2. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each of the pulleys 34 and34a is canted inwardly. A transversely extendingfshaft 35 is rotatably mounted on upstanding supports'fa which `extend upwardly from `the transverse channel I6. This .shaft 'extends through a housing 3l' which is supported on the channel IB midway between its ends: and which containsworm and gear mechanism; lThis mechanismincludes aworm gear 3B (Figure 6) keyed to 'shaft 35` and a worm 39 mounted on la longitudinally extending shaftt. On each side of the housing 31, the shaft 35 has 'a cable drum'flll keyedthereon. Each 'drum includes two sections having opposite-ly directed helical grooves or cable guides formed therein. The rear pulleysfi34a have cables-"42 passing thereover and` one end of each of these cables is'anch'ored 'to one-section of theco-operating drumk 4|. The forward pulleys 34 havev cables 43 passingthereover andone end of each ofv these cables is anchored to the #other .section of the cooperating drum 4|. Thus, with this arrangement when thel shaft 35 is rotated, both drums 4I are rotated'and the cables 42 and 43 are all reeledin or paid out simultaneously. The shaft 4|! exten'dsforwardly and is rotatably carried in a bearing 44 carried by a support upstanding from the forward transverse member 8. The extreme forward end of the shaft has a handwheel 45 keyed thereon. By turning the handwheel,I the hoisting mechanism can be actuated and it Will be noted that this handwheel is also at theforward end of the frame.

The lower end of each of the'cables preferably hasI secured thereto a hook'member 46. These hook members are adapted to be hooked into the eyes formed in the ends of cable straps 41 which areadapted to be passed beneaththe vault to'be lifted. It will be-apparent that the vault can; be lifted easily, after the vehicle is backed `over it and the cables are attached, by operating' the handwheel 45. The hoisting mechanism will be automatically locked when rotation of the handwheel 45 ceases because of the worm and gear mechanism. When the vault has been lifted upwardly within the frame, it is clamped in position to prevent swinging thereof. This is accomplished by positioning the clamping bar i3 on the rear of the frame in front o-f members 5. An adjustable clamping unit 48 is provided adjacent the forward end of the frame for clamping the vault against bar I3.

The clamping unit 48 comprises a vertically disposed supporting plate 49 which is welded between cross members 'I and 9 (Figure l). This plate has a screw 50 (Figures 1 to 3) threaded therethrough in a horizontal direction. The rear end of this screw 50 rotatably carries a vaultengaging plate 5| which is preferably provided with a roughened vault-engaging surface.

The forward end of the screw 5D has a hand- Wheel 52 keyed thereon. It will be noted that this Wheel 52 is also readily accessible from the forward end of the frame. To clamp the cablesuspended vault in position on the frame it is merely necessary to rotate wheel 52 to move plate 5I rearwardly into contact with the forward end of the vault and to continue the rotation until the vault shifts bodily rearwardly so that its rear end will be in rm contact with the clampingr bar I3 which will be forced against vertical members 5. Thus, during transportation the vault will be effectively clamped to the frame to prevent swinging thereof.

The frame is provided at each side with three U-shaped brackets 53 which are welded to the vertical members 4, I5 and 5, respectively. The

set of`brackets at ea'ch'side isadapted to recteive and'carry a plank'54. The planks 54 may' beremoved from the frame, when the grave is reached, and placed along-the side thereof toserve` as tracks forthe wheels I9.

Whenthe grave isreached, the trailer isdisconnected fromthe truck or tractor and the caster wheel 26 is swungdown'wardly into'operativeposition anddockedin such position as'shown in Figure h1.` Then the tongue 32 may be attached and by using' it,'the trailer canbe maneuvered and backed over the `grave, as. shown in Figures 1 and 5. Because the" rear end of the vehicleis freeof any obstructions lower than the vault carried thereby, the vehiolemay be backed'over the-'grave without interfering with a marker of the headstone type. As soon as' the vehicle is properly positioned over the grave, the lever-24' is actuated'to set the brakes. The handwheel 52 is then operated to move the clamping plate 5I out ofcontac-t With'the vault. yThe bar I3 may' then be removed. The vault can Athen be lowered easily intothe grave'by operating'the handwheel 45, or in the case of a disinterme'nt the vault may be raised. If desired, a-platformlmay beprovided on'top 'of the trailer for transporting equipment to the grave, such as articialgrasstent equipment, matting, etc. Thisplat'form may-embody a frame'la which is removably'attached to frame by brackets 55 `and which supports a plurality oflongitudinal slats56. Brackets 55 are c'arriedby frame Ia and straddle the upper members 2of the frame to which they are' securedby removable pins 51.

It will be apparent from the above description that' we have'provided a vault-handling vehiclehaving a-number of advantages. `Most of these advantages have beendisoussed above but others will be apparent.

Having thus describedour'inventiorr, what We' claim is:

l. A vault-handling vehicle comprising a frame carried by transporting wheels, cable means for suspending and supporting a vault from said frame, and means associated with said frame for gripping the vault to prevent swinging thereof relative to the frame, said means comprising a clamping bar at one end of the frame for contacting with the associated end of the vault, and a clamping unit adjustably carried by the other end of the frame and having a clamping member adapted to be moved into contact with the associated end of the vault to clamp the suspended vault between said clamping member and said clamping bar.

2. A vault-handling vehicle comprising a fra-me carried by transporting wheels, cable means for suspending and supporting a vault from said frame, and means associated with said frame for grippingthe vault to prevent swinging thereof relative to the frame, said means comprising a clamping bar disposed transversely at one end of the frame and being notched to removably fit over longitudinal `members of the frame, said clamping bar being adapted to engage upright members carried by said longitudinal members of the frame and to engage the associated end of the vault, and a clamping unit carried by the other end of the frame, said clamping unit comprising a gripping plate for engaging the associated end of the vault, said plate being rotatably carried on the end of a screw, said screw being threaded through a portion of the frame for axial movement relative thereto.

3. A vault-handling vehicle comprising a frame fabricated from Vmetal members and including a plurality of longitudinally extending members which converge at the forward end thereof, said framebeing supported by a pair of rear wheels disposed behind the center of gravity of the frameand a. caster wheel attached to the forward end of the frame, cable `means for suspending and supporting a vault from said frame, said cable means including cable drums mounted on a transversely disposed shaft supported by the frame intermediate the ends thereof and on the upper side thereof, means for rotating said drums including worm and gear mechanism, idler pulleys for receiving `the cables and disposed at the corners of the frame at the upper side thereof, means for clamping the cable-suspended vault to the frame to prevent swinging thereof, said means comprising a removable clamping bar at one end of the frame for contacting with the associated end of the vault, and a clamping unit adjustably carried by the other end of the frame and having a clamping member adapted to be moved into contact with the associated end of the vault.

4. A vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the caster wheel is pivoted to the forward end of the frame for movement in a vertical plane, and locking means is associated therewith for locking it inits lowermost position. n

5. A vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the clamping bar is notched to fit over longitudinal members of the frame and wherein the clamping unit comprises a screw adjustably carried by the frame and rotatably carrying a Vault-engaging plate.

, 6. A vehicle according to claim 3 wherein brakes are provided on the rear wheels, a control member for said brakes, a control member for said worm and gear mechanism and a control member for said clamping unit, all of said control members being disposed at the forward end of the frame.

7. A vault-handling vehicle comprising a -frame composed of longitudinal vertical and transverse frame members secured together to form a frame between which the vault may be lifted, cable means on the frame for lifting and supporting the vault within the frame, said frame being supported on a pair of rear wheels disposed behind the center of gravity of the frame, brakes associated with the rear Wheels, all of the longitudinal members of the frame converging at the forward end thereof to provide a support for a caster wheel being pivotally mounted for vertical movement between a lower operative position and -an upper inoperative position, means for locking the caster wheel in operative position, a control for said brakes at the forward end of the frame, a control for the cable means at the forward end of the frame, and a clamping unit at the forward end of the frame for clamping the vault to the frame to prevent swinging thereof.

CHARLES E. ALMENDINGER. EDWARD L. BEHRENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

